Baseball America’s top-10 White Sox prospects list is dominated by the club’s 2016 draft class.
The team’s top five selections from this June’s amateur baseball draft are all represented on the list, which was released on Monday.
University of Miami product Zack Collins, the No. 10 pick in the draft, is the team’s top prospect, according to the publication. Right-hander Zack Burdi is the franchise’s No. 2 prospect, while 2015 first-rounder Carson Fulmer is ranked third in the system.
Other 2016 draftees on the list include: pitcher Alec Hansen (fifth) and outfielders Jameson Fisher and Alex Call, who rank eighth and ninth, respectively.
Baseball America said the franchise got a “much-needed face lift” with its picks this June.
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When they were selected, Collins and Burdi were thought to be two of the closest-to-ready draftees taken. The 2016 Johnny Bench Award winner (given to the nation’s top collegiate catcher), Collins could provide the long-term answer at catcher the team has searched for since A.J. Pierzynski departed via free agency. Burdi features an outstanding arsenal of pitches, including a fastball that reaches triple digits, a slider and a changeup.
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Thought to be a project after a rough 2016 season at Oklahoma, Hansen dominated at Rookie-Great Falls after he was selected with the 49th overall pick. Hansen posted a 1.23 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings before he received a promotion to Single-A Kannapolis.
Fisher, the team’s third-round pick, had 18 extra-base hits and hit .342/.436/.487 in 219 plate appearances at Great Falls.
A fourth-rounder, Call finished the season with a combined .839 OPS between Great Falls and Kannapolis.
The rest of the team’s top-10 list includes pitcher Spencer Adams (fourth), pitcher Jordan Stephens (sixth), third baseman Trey Michalczewski (seventh) and second baseman Jake Peter (No. 10).